Black Panther has been a mainstay in the Marvel Universe for decades. As the king of the African nation of Wakana and a member of multiple superhero teams, he has had many exciting and intriguing stories. However, with so many different kinds of stories, it’s hard to know which ones are worth your time.
This list will point you in the right direction with a selection of the best Black Panther comic book stories ever told. It spans the character’s long publication history, from his early stories to more recent epics and includes action-packed adventures and thought-provoking tales.
If you’re looking for more stories or want to know what to read next, don’t forget to check out the Black Panther Reading Order.
The Black Panther!
Written by Stan Lee. Art by Jack Kirby.
Jack Kirby and Stan Lee were firing on all cylinders by the mid-point of their 102-issue run on Fantastic Four. During this period, there were heaps of classic stories, with the pair introducing many memorable characters – Black Panther being one of them.
The Fantastic Four travel to the mysterious Wakanda at the king’s invitation. However, they’re ambushed on arrival and spend much of it facing off against the country’s leader Black Panther. Although, in true superhero fashion, they set aside their differences to take on the true threat. In this case, Ulysses Klaw.
This debut helps set the foundations of the character, allowing for other creators to flesh out Black Panther over the decades. Readers learn of his origin, get a peek at Wakana, and an excellent display of the hero’s skill set that fits perfectly into Kirby’s dynamic and bombastic style.
Issues: Fantastic Four (1961 series) #52-53
Collected Editions: ‘Black Panther Epic Collection: Panther’s Rage’ or ‘Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Volume 6’ or ‘Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Black Panther Volume 1’ or ‘Penguin Classics Marvel Collection: Black Panther’ or ‘Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Mystery of the Black Panther’
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add to Goodreads
Death Calls for the Arch-Heroes
Written by Roy Thomas. Art by John Buscema.
On recommendation from Captain America, Black Panther heads to the Avengers Mansion to join the team. On his arrival, he finds members of the Avengers dead! What’s worse is that Black Panther’s been framed for the crime. Now he’s on the run from police and S.H.I.E.L.D. while he seeks the real “killer.”
Along with the introduction of classic Avengers villain Grim Reaper, this tale as it cements Black Panther as a regular on the Avengers team. In a time when the Wakandan hero had been bouncing around various team-ups, Death Calls for the Arch-Heroes gave him a home in the pages of Avengers.
Issue: Avengers (1963 series) #52
Collected Edition: ‘Avengers Epic Collection: The Masters of Evil’ or ‘Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Volume 6’
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add to Goodreads
Panther’s Rage
Written by Don McGregor. Art by Rich Buckler, Gil Kane and Billy Graham.
Black Panther had never had his own series until 1973. He’d been a guest in other titles or a regular in The Avengers. It wasn’t until Don McGregor, a proofreader on the reprint series Jungle Action, demanded that Marvel publish something less dated. With the only restriction being that the comic needed to be set in Africa, he was given free rein to write a Black Panther series. The initial offering was the 12-part epic Panther’s Rage.
After spending some time in the US as part of the Avengers, Black Panther returns to Wakanda to find the country in unrest. This stems from Erik Killmonger, whose army has been attacking villages with the ultimate goal of taking T’Challa’s throne. Black Panther will face off with many of Killmonger’s lieutenants to stop the revolution.
In many ways, Panther’s Rage is a story before its time. McGregor wasn’t afraid to impose difficult questions on the characters. As a result, the comic explores the impact of violence, culture shock, and mortality. These themes also allow for strong characterisation, with characters with full-formed motivations and needs. It’s also a comic that looks nothing like anything released at the time due to exciting experiments in page layouts, resulting in slick title pages and dynamic action.
Issues: Jungle Action #6-18
Trade Paperback: ‘Black Panther Epic Collection: Panther’s Rage’ or ‘Marvel Masterworks: Black Panther Volume 1’ or ‘Penguin Classics Marvel Collection: Black Panther’
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add to Goodreads
Black Panther Vs. The Klan
Written by Don McGregor and Ed Hannigan. Art by Billy Graham and Jerry Bingham.
The evils that superheroes face tend to lean towards the fantastical while acting as proxies for real-world evils. In this case, the threat is all too real in the form of the Ku Klux Klan. In investigating a murder, Black Panther and his friends are stuck in a dangerous triangle between The Klan and a splinter cult.
Black Panther Vs. The Klan uses the KKK for more than mere shock value, juxtaposing the two sides’ ideologies. By doing so, the story examines the power of lies, hate-fueled fear, and indoctrination. It’s also strong in its convictions, using powerful imagery, such as Black Panther tied to a burning cross, to double down on these themes.
The first half of the story is the most poignant and striking. Unfortunately, it was cut short when Jack Kirby returned from a tenure at DC Comics and started a series for the character. The story would be later concluded by another creative team. That being said, the whole story comes highly recommended.
Issues: Jungle Action #19-22, 24 and Marvel Premiere #51-53
Collected Editions: ‘Black Panther Epic Collection: Panther’s Rage’ and ‘Black Panther Epic Collection: Revenge of the Black Panther’ or ‘Marvel Masterworks: Black Panther Volume 1-2’
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add to Goodreads
The Client
Written by Christopher Priest. Art by Mark Texeira.
The 90s was a quiet time for Black Panther. Apart from the occasional appearance, he didn’t feature in many comics, little in his own title. However, in 1998, during Marvel’s post-bankruptcy creative renascence, he received a brand new series helmed by Christopher Priest.
This tale is a unique melting pot of elements you could describe as Coming to America meets street-level action, with a hint of the supernatural. Black Panther is forced to leave for the United States when a Wakandan-backed charity organisation is responsible for the death of a child. The investigation creates a domino effect, which will see a leadership struggle and a visit from the devil himself.
The Client is presented out of sequence and narrated by secondary character Everett K Ross. Ross is introduced in this arc and used throughout Priest’s long run as the bridge between familiar Western elements and Wakandian culture. He’s also comic relief, injecting humour into a series contrasted by the sternness and seriousness of T’Challa.
Issues: Black Panther (1998 series) #1-5
Collected Editions: ‘Black Panther by Christopher Priest: The Complete Collection Volume 1’ or ‘Marvel Knights Black Panther by Priest & Texeira: The Client’
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add to Goodreads
Sturm Und Drang
Written by Christopher Priest. Art by Sal Velluto.
Black Panther finds himself on the verge of World War III when tensions between the underwater nation of Lemuria escalate. Tensions are escalated by Klaw, who’s working in the background to bring other nations into the mix unnecessarily. In all of this, Black Panther is advocating for peace at every step. However, at the same time, he refuses to back down and show any signs of weakness.
Sturm Und Drang is an exploration of leadership during wartime. We see this not only in Black Panther’s actions as a leader of Wakanda but also in the other leaders he must deal with – like Namor, Magneto, and Doctor Doom.
Issues: Black Panther (1998 series) #26-29
Collected Editions: Black Panther by Christopher Priest: The Complete Collection Volume 2
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add to Goodreads
See Wakanda And Die
Written by Jason Aaron. Art by Jefte Palo.
Acting as a standalone story and a tie-in for Marvel’s 2008 event Secret Invasion, See Wakanda And Die is an action-packed addition to the Black Panther library. An army of Skrulls has come to Wakanda to claim the country’s vibranium. However, the Wakana won’t go down without a fight.
Readers see two complementary sides to Black Panther. The first is as the leader, shown through his tactical decisions and devotion to his people. The other is that of the hero, placing himself on the frontline of the conflict and being a general badass. The combination of the two makes for a satisfying read that moves at a steady pace.
Issues: Black Panther (2005 series) #39-41
Collected Edition: Secret Invasion: Black Panther
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add To Goodreads
A Nation Under Our Feet
Written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Art by Brian Stelfreeze and Chris Sprouse.
Wakanda is in a state of upheaval. After being ravaged by recent invasion attempts, the people of the advanced African nation have lost faith in Black Panther as their king. Revolution is afoot from multiple angles. While he must stop the country from ripping itself apart, Black Panther is questioning his leadership qualities and the constant push and pull of being a hero.
A Nation Under Our Feet is the most philosophical of all the stories on this list. It explores Wakanda’s identity, tensions, tradition and where they fit when looking to the future. This extends into examining the role of leadership and whether a monarchy is still needed.
Stelfreeze and Sprouse visualise Wakanda spectacularly. Steeped in Afrofuturism, there’s a science fiction quality but stylistically informed by African art and culture. The result is a comic you can get lost in as you explore the different parts of the country.
Issues: Black Panther (2016 series) #1-12
Collected Editions: ‘Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet Books 1-3’ or ‘Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates Collection Volume 1’
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add To Goodreads
The Black Out
Written by Nnedi Okorafor. Art by Andre Lima Araujo.
A giant monster is attacking Wakanda, causing earthquakes and sinkholes. However, it disappears just as quickly as it appears. What’s the deal with the creature and its connection to vibranium? SFF writer Nnedi Okorafor uses this premise to explore the conflict between being a king and a hero. She looks into where Black Panther’s priorities lie and which role is the one that Wakanda needs the most.
Andre Lima Araujo’s depiction of Wakanda is a beautiful compromise of the futuristic and natural. The architecture looks slick and technologically advanced but where this comic visually shines is in the depiction of nature. Everything is so lush and populated with wildlife. It makes this story one of the most visually appealing stories on this list and Andre Lima Araujo an artist you should look out for.
Issues: Black Panther: Long Live The King #1-2 and #5
Collected Edition: Black Panther: Long Live The King
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add To Goodreads
The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda
Written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Art by Daniel Acuna, Jen Bartel, Kev Walker, and Chris Sprouse.
Two thousand years ago, a detachment of Wakanda established a hostile empire that spans five galaxies. Readers are dropped into this and follow T’Challa, whose memories are missing and is now a slave and rebel fighting against this empire.
The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda is a must read for its soap opera scale, cool spaceship dog fights, and hard-hitting action. There’s no other Black Panther story like it and it’s an incredible ride.
Issues: Black Panther (2018 series) #1-25
Collected Edition: ‘Black Panther Book 6-9’ or ‘Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates Collection Volume 3-4’
Buy: Amazon/Kindle | eBay
Add To Goodreads
Have your say!
Which of these Black Panther comics are you going to read? Share your thoughts in the comments below or via Facebook or Twitter.
Leave a comment